The Best Shop Light

You know that you want to do great things in your garage or shed. The only problem is that you can’t accomplish anything without the ability to see clearly. Finding new shop lights is vital to your creative process, but it’s easier said than done.
Shop lights come in a confusing range of shapes and sizes. Although this does mean that you have plenty of options, it can also make it harder to pick the best ones. Here’s what distinguishes a good shop light from the countless mediocre varieties on the market.

Select the Right Illumination for Your Space

Choosing your shop lighting isn’t just a matter of installing the brightest possible bulbs that you can find. For instance, if you mount super-bright lights in the middle of the room, you might still have low visibility near the walls and beneath fixtures like cabinets or tool racks. Bright lights that lack covers may also produce uncomfortable glares and reflections on surfaces like metal bins and shelving.

Instead, go for a combination of moderately bright lighting and well-placed fixtures to create the ideal spread of even illumination. Doing so will make it possible to work from any angle and use your space comfortably. You can also add spot lighting and lamps near specific workstations to increase the brightness in those areas without wasting money keeping the entire shop lit.

Some experts recommend using approximately one 8-foot long fixture for every vehicle parking space inside garages, but your mileage may vary. You may also not want to deal with such long bulbs.
If your shop has large windows that let you work in natural light, you might get away with portable models, like the Designers Edge L14SLED or a common hanging Stanley BF0109 BarFlex. It all depends on how you’ve arranged your work zone.

Picking a Form Factor That Fits

Space isn’t just a factor when it comes to what you’re trying to illuminate. The physical design constraints of your garage, outdoor shed or other space may make it harder to use certain types and sizes of lighting.

Although it’s usually a straightforward matter to run new wiring to a spot where you’d like to install a shop light, you can’t always work around features like support beams or ductwork. Some detached sheds also lack horizontal ceiling planes, so it’s necessary to mount your lights using hanging fixtures. Luckily for you, options like Hykolity’s 4-foot model and Lithonia Lighting’s 1233 RE come ready for easy suspension and include handy pull cords.

Mastering Power Consumption and Upkeep

Traditionally, the illumination demands of shop work made it necessary to stick to fluorescent bulbs. While it certainly starts out bright enough, this kind of lighting is known for problems like blowouts, inconsistency, noisy buzzing sounds and poor energy consumption. The bulbs and high-voltage ballasts that power them are also fairly dangerous.

Modern LED options provide alternatives that last longer, consume less power and may be far less annoying to maintain. With shop lights like Barrina’s INWT504020650Bc, you can even daisy-chain up to six individual units together or mount them on walls and other unconventional places.
LEDs offer a lot more flexibility in a package that won’t cost you quite as much to keep shining. You also get more color temperature options that make it possible to exercise greater control over how your shop lighting looks and feels. If you’re not sure about making the switch, try plugging an LED bulb into an existing fixture to get a feel for what level of brightness you need before purchasing a complete upgrade.

Longevity Considerations

Another place where LED shop lighting shines is in terms of its durability. For example, options from Hyperikon and LUCECO are generally shatterproof. The lower voltages and cool-to-the-touch circuits that LEDs use may also make them less of a fire hazard in the presence of volatile gasses, like fuel and paint thinner.
Of course, you can’t expect to take a drill to one of these fixtures and have it continue working as if nothing happened. On the other hand, you won’t have to deal with cleaning up a huge mess because you carelessly bumped an LED shop light with a ladder or broom handle. This kind of hardiness is a major bonus if you’re mounting shop lighting down at eye level or close to where you work.

Getting Started: Making the Best Choices for Your Workshop

So which lighting fixtures are ideal for your shop? In addition to thinking about the factors that we’ve already mentioned, start by measuring the dimensions of your space.
Take note of the areas that need lighting and how you use each distinct section of your workshop. For instance, overhead lights won’t do a whole lot if you spend all of your time beneath a car jack, but a portable light like the Snap-on 922261 will only be of limited value on a cluttered woodworker’s bench or lathe station. Try to find a happy medium, and don't be afraid to focus on the most important areas first.
What’s your favorite light for keeping your shop bright? Let us know in the comments below, and tell us what you think of some of the products we recommended.

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This page about Shop Light was composed by V. Tobies and published by Alternative.me.
It was last updated on 2024-04-24 08:02:20 and has been viewed 3330 times.